Lightweight transportation vehicles can be stolen due to the ease with which the vehicles can be removed when stored or parked. In particular, bicycles are often subject to theft since a bicycle can simply be ridden away if not properly stored or protected. To reduce or eliminate the theft of vehicles such as bicycles, a wide variety of bicycle locks have been proposed, including various U-locks and cable locks.
A U-lock typically includes a semi-enclosure member or shackle having legs or fittings with configured feet, a straight crossbar having openings for receipt of the feet, and a locking mechanism in the crossbar for retaining or releasing the feet. A cable lock typically includes a relatively flexible cable having at one end a leg or fitting with a configured foot, and a lock housing extending from the other end of the cable. The lock housing includes an opening for reception of the foot, and a locking mechanism in the lock housing to releasably retain the foot. For protection against theft, either of the locks can be used to couple a bicycle frame to a suitable object, such as a post, rail, rack or station. Once the U-lock or cable lock couples the bicycle frame to the suitable object, the lock is secured or locked to prevent or reduce the likelihood of theft.
While both U-locks and cable locks are capable of securing a bicycle to an object, neither of these types of locks provide complete protection from a thief having unlimited time and/or tools. For instance, some types of locks provide little protection when confronted by a thief using certain kinds of tools to either break the lock housing, breach or cut the shackle, or cut the cable of a cable lock. What is therefore needed is a bicycle lock which provides an increased level of security for these and other items that are subject to theft.